Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-09-09

As yuie, the more cnurlSh the nhluto
the more avaricious II Is found 10 be. MY
nromise of liberal remuneration was after
an not without ius effect upon the strange
connie whose refusal to afford me refuge had
sonearly endangered my life. They condo
seconded TO get me some tea and rough FOOD.
After | had disposed OF all that the man
produced bottle of gin. We hued our
Glasses and then, with the aid of my pipe,
settled down to make the best OF nlSht
spent in "a hard wooden char.
had come across strange people IN my
travels but l have no hesitation In saving
that my host was the sullenest sulklest
most boorish specimen Of human nature
Ind as vet met with. In spite OF his recent
an treatment of me, ] was ready 10 establish
matters ON friendly footing, aud made
several attempts TO draw him into conversa-
ton. The brute would only answer n mon
osyllables or often not answer at all 90
gave up talking as a | al job ana SAT IN ST.
lence. smoking and looking into the hre'
thinking a good deal, 1t may be, OF some
ono should have met that morning at LILY
mere, had the wretched snow but kept OIL
Tho long clock-that cumbrous eight-day
machine which inevitably occupies Que
corner OF every cottager's kitchcn-struck /
nina The woman rose and LETT us. con-
cluded she was going 10 bed. III so en-
WED her Her husband showed no signs Oh /
retiring He still sat over the fire. opposite
me. Bv this time l was dreadluny tfed;
every bone in my body ached. The hard
chair which, an hour or two ago, seemed all
/ could desire, now scarcely came up 10 my
IDEAS Of the comfort / was justly entitled to
claim. Ny sulky companion had been
drinking silently but steadily. Perhaps the
rouor he had poured into himself might
have rendered his frame Of mind more pleas
ant and amenable 20 reason
INV GOOD 1e!low," sad, your chairs
are excellent ones of the kind, but deucedly
uncomfortable. ] am horribly tired. IL
The resources of your establishment cant
furnish bed for me 10 sleep IN, couldn't you
find mattress or something to lay down
before the firef
you've got all you'll get tonight" he
answered. knocking the ashes out OF hs
pipe.
$50 do say. say this; If you don't like
il YOU can leave it. We didn't ask you 10
come
"You internal beast" mutaerol-and
meant il. tool declare, had not been SO
utterly worn out, | would have had that
bullct-headed ruftian up for few rounds on
his own kitchen floor, and tried TO knock
hin, into more amiable frame of mind.
Never mind" l said. but remember,
civilitv costs nothing and often gets re-
warded. However, If you wish to retire TO
vourown couch, don't let your native po-
likeness stand in your way. Fray doh
hesitate on my account Leave plenty OF
fuel and l shall manage until the morning.
'0Where you stay, stay" h9 answered
Then he filed his pipe, and once more IT,
lapsed into stony silence.
| bothered about him no more. doZ'd Oh
Cor a few minutes-wokc-dozei OF agar
for some hours. l was in an uncomfortable
SORT of half Sleep cramme1 fun OF curlou
x-aan,e-.lreanS from which starter
wondering vncrv was anu no" -"V 'u7'e :
Ieyen began 20 grow nervous. All sOrls
horrible travellers tales ran through IN
head. TWAS in just such places as TINS Una
unsuspccting voyagers were sIaC'u 70 nav
heen murdered and robbed, by just such VI
nitipated ruffians as my host can tel yo
that altogether l spent most unpleasa1
night
To make matters worse and more disma
the storm still ragged outside. The wiz
moaned through the trees, but IL had agtn
changed and knew from the sound on Il
window panes that heavy rain had su
oeoded snow. As the big drops OF wat
found their way down the large old-iaShlon'
chimney. the fire hissed and spluttered II
sniteful vixen. Everything combined
deprive me of what dogs sleep couiu
sheer persistency snatch.
I think | tried every position which
ordinary man, not an ACROBAT, - c"i'"'"9
odopting with the assistance OF comm
wooden chair / even lay down on the la
eogs. Iactually tried the table. propp
up the upper half of my body against
corner walls Of the room; but touhd no IL
At last gave up all idea of sleeping, a
T,,llv aroused myself ! comforted ms
Nv saving that my misery was only tenn
rary-that the longest night must coih7
an end.
Nv Communion had by now succumbed
fatigue or 20 the combined effects oil tauj
and gin-and- water. HIS heal was mans
sidewavs and he slept in a most uhcoul'
able attitude / chuckled rs l IooKeu
him. feeling quite sure that II such
was CAPABLE of dreaming at all ms aIe'
must be worse even than nine Hlieu
o,her nine. poked the smoldering logs I'M
hIa., and sat almost nose and knees over
fire finding some amusement in speculat
upon the condition OF the churl oeloIe
ond thanking the Lord / was not IKE u
this man. Suddenly an idea flashed &c
me n. -
had seen this fellow before. But
or where I could not remember. his
uras IA looked az them with Beener lu
est. seemed 10 grow more ana more ram
70 me. Where could have met hin' -
where or other but where, l racked
brain 10 associate him with some scene
event. Although he was but an ordn
countryman, such as one sees scores ol
DAYS ride, only differing from his kin
account Of his unpleasant face, felt SUI
were old acquaintance. When he az
for n moment and changed his strained
tude INV feeling grew stronger and stroi
Ye, puzzle and puzzle as would, eoul
call 20 mind former encounter so az
began to think the supposed recognition
pure fancy on my part.
Having smoked out several pipe
thought that cigar would be slight
10 the monotony of the nights proceed
So drew out my case and looked at II
fonts. Among the weeds was one
LIGHTER color than the others. As &c
out said 10 myself, "Why, Old bIanu
me that one when j was last at his nc
Curiously enough that cigar was the IN
t;,,l, Il, Tho chain Of my memory. As l II